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Everybody knows that TWSBI 580 is sporting a #5 nib screw unit, so I'm thinking to make it easy by posting pictures of modified ones, maybe a little explanation as well. So, I have a TWSBI 580 AL and my first modification being with an Inoxcrom golden fine nib from a model that looks like a Parker Vector. The second mod is with Schmidt® PRS rollerball cartridge system, using a bit of duct tape and O-ring:

Hi, is there anyone in India who is willing to sell the TWSBI diamond 580 or Vac 700r? I'm in for buying some Twsbi pens and wasn't sure where to look for them. I want to try them out. If you're interested in selling yours, message me:)

I need a highlighter pen. Tried the Lamy Safari with 1.1 nib route, but the converter is too small so I run empty very quickly. Now I am leaning towards a TWSBI Diamond Mini with a 1.5 stub. Is anyone using the TWSBI as a highlighter pen? How is the 1.5 nib out of the box? Having read about breakage, cracking plastic, and finnicky nibs in the TWSBI forum, I'd like to hear your experience with the Diamond Mini, particularly the 1.5 stub nib. Also, if your experience steered you away from TWSBI, please share if you found a better alternative. The highlighter ink will be Diamine, probably Yellow or Sunshine Yellow. Thanks, everyone!

With the latest Twsbi Eco making news, I decided to give my old 580 another shot just to make sure whether I should go for another. Find one is good enough for me (personal opinion). Here is also a link to my blog: TWSBI Diamond 580 Review Here goes my review of the 580: My sole motivation behind getting a TWSBI was to disassemble the pen and have all the fun, which I missed. And I got a clear demonstrator, packaged with a nice-looking wrench. THE TWSBI STORY TWSBI (called Twiz-Bee) refers to San Wen Tong, i.e when TWS is spelled backwards and it means ‘Hall of Three Cultures’ according to their website. BI at the end refers to writing instruments. Ta Shin Precision manufactured everything from toy lego parts to high-end writing instruments for several luxury brands (both American & Japanese) for well over 40 years. So that’s plastic, metal & precision, precisely what’s required to make and sell a nice writing instrument, under your own brand name. Which luxury brands? They don’t reveal those due to privacy agreements. I have reasonable doubt from various reviews that one of them is Levenger. And TWSBI Nibs are said to be sourced from JoWo (earlier it was Bock & Schimdt), Germany (same as for Faber-Castell Design Pens). THE FPN CONNECTION An FPN member by the name of speedy started a post with a prototype development for an inexpensive piston filling fountain pen somewhere around late October, 2009. He clarified that he was a pen-maker and shared pictures of TWSBI 530 prototypes in this post. It showed a metallic piston system. And it became a popular brand within a short period of time. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aXanzzgVZpc/Vb2tFd_RXXI/AAAAAAAAFAc/VMOIxx7069c/s1600/Prototype.jpg PRESENTATION That’s probably one of the great aspects of marketing. Inside a brown cardboard box, you will find the pen residing within a clear plastic case. You will instantly fall in love with the presentation part of it. For the lack of a better word, I call it The Apple packaging. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2v-U9j8mEdg/Vb2r5a2wXVI/AAAAAAAAE_Q/PCrDoboa4xw/s1600/DSC_4802.jpg There is an instruction sheet on disassembly of the pen, highlighting the pen parts. Below the white pen-holding shelf, you will find the 7mm TWSBI wrench and a vial of silicone grease in two slots. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1wEqgLBfRVA/Vb2tSxNRwAI/AAAAAAAAFA0/8dvHgT0DmhA/s1600/box.jpg DESIGN - THE GEOMETRICAL TRANSPARENCY (4/6) The build looks sturdy without adding much weight. Plastic economizes both cost and weight of fittings. This pen endorses practical utility rather than art with which you will probably associate a Pelikan or a Visconti. I do find an element of industrial look with the pen. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-COLWtQyBr-o/Vb2rvkWHSqI/AAAAAAAAE_I/_C5pGu7HVTk/s1600/DSC_4833.jpg Most of it is visible engineering, while use of plastic is quite evident in its piston-system. The barrel and cap are made of thick polycarbonate, with a protective heat treated layer for increased resistance to scratches, along with the crystal transparence. The overall fitment is still an area of improvement. One of my experiences is with the piston knob, which does not tighten itself well, as the piston head is pulled back in. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vVlXAJhf34U/Vb2r7Unlx0I/AAAAAAAAE_Y/A6R6VKiUpMQ/s1600/DSC_4829.jpg The cap feels substantial and unscrews with a single turn, revealing a rather dagger-like nib. There is a metallic insert for the nib unit, supplying necessary chrome accents for the aesthetics. The piston knob has a rather broad ring making the mark for disassembly. Multiple polygonal planes orchestrate light effectively within, dazzling both the pen and the ink inside the barrel. The decagonal geometry also prevents an open pen from rolling away. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lnoYSQczHQ/Vb2sO5WHmuI/AAAAAAAAE_w/coWF8V-uyck/s1600/DSC_4837.jpg The cap has a wide chrome band carrying a laser engraved TWSBI on one side of it and DIAMOND 580 TAIWAN on the other, in three separate lines. Two concentric circles run on this band in the form of imprints. The finial carries a vibrant red & silver TWSBI logo of three pillars within a dome of transparent acrylic. The clip is spring-loaded within a visible system having a chrome tassie and it has a geometrical pyramid-like cut. The cap is heavy and has a smooth circular cross section which can roll the entire pen easily with its weight, until the clip restricts it. You can also observe the relatively greyish inner cap, which prevents the nib from drying out. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hvFDb1IoLBQ/Vb2tS3yDViI/AAAAAAAAFA4/O1cIkYuxahU/s1600/cap.jpg FILLING SYSTEM (5/6) As a piston filler, it does have a good ink capacity around 1.8~2mL. The knob unscrews with three complete turns and manages to draw ink quite efficiently from the bottle. The feeder hole is rather a channel to enable efficient ink suction. One of the improvements could be with the piston knob, which should increasingly tighten itself, as the piston head is pulled back in. Mine stays loosely fastened (after I applied some silicone grease on the piston head) and is directly proportional to the friction at the piston head. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zyu-R2d4OIY/Vb2tEOw3cII/AAAAAAAAFAY/b53TOE9_aQc/s1600/Filler.jpg DISASSEMBLY For this phase, rather than learning from the manual, you can have a look at a 580 disassembly video. I like the one with gouletpens or srebrown. Make sure you thoroughly flush the pen with water before disassembling it. 1. Rotating the piston end-cap counter-clockwise, the piston seal is lowered to a hinged stop inside the barrel. 2. Fit the wrench just below the piston-end-cap, which can unscrewed in a clockwise direction from the piston-knob. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NUkTmOyn-1U/Vb2sxi3fPxI/AAAAAAAAFAI/7YzC3qXppfM/s1600/DSC_4903.jpg 3. The piston mechanism has five different parts as you can see in the picture, though it’s not necessary to remove the rubber piston seal (or head) from the piston rod (spindle). The fittings of the mechanism can be made from higher grade material. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I1IdSoPmNms/Vb2sps-rsbI/AAAAAAAAFAA/LSsSEwOPHFE/s1600/DSC_4913%2Bcopy.jpg 4. The nib unit can be easily removed by first unscrewing the grip section from the barrel. 5. Since, nib is friction fit, you may remove the nib and feed from the unit, in case there is some heavy cleaning required (in case of a bad flow, sometimes the feed is coated with grease which restricts ink-flow). 6. Make sure you apply an adequate amount of silicone grease to the sides of the rubber piston seal (you may ignore the bottom surface) before reassembly. NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (4/6) The nib/feed unit can be taken out or apart for cleaning purposes. The nib is stainless steel and has a rather small dagger-like design. It comes with four stock widths - EF, F, M, B and two special widths of Stub 1.1 & Stub 1.5. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pUw5Vdlnev4/Vb2sIzRr7-I/AAAAAAAAE_k/h6rOBMIZtfQ/s1600/DSC_4877.jpg The tail end specifies carries the nib width while the name TWSBI along with the logo rest above the tail. There are some curves adorning the inside symmetry of the tines. To be honest it’s kind of a plain design with limited nib leverage. A black plastic feed with a feed channel for ink suction and the thin fins on the other side ensures a good buffer capacity and prevents hard-starts. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdkLuAmZ2NI/Vb2sJai3UzI/AAAAAAAAE_o/fZXFoCmyeW8/s1600/DSC_4893.jpg Earlier, TWSBI used to source its nibs from Schmidt and then Bock, which is incidentally the nib-supplier for Faber-Castell too. But it’s the alloys and then post-processing that can make a lot of difference even in steel-nibs. PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING The pen filled with ink, does have a good balance in terms of both weight and length. The pen is not meant to be posted. The grip is quite comfortable with a section around 1 cm thick. Uncapped Length ~ 13 cm Capped Length ~ 14 cm Nib Leverage ~ 2 cm Overall Weight ~ 28 g (Cap Weight ~ 14 g) Capped and uncapped and posted with a pelikan m805 runs below for your reference. A capped 580 looks similar to a m805. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NlHUezEy6vA/Vb2soSwhyvI/AAAAAAAAE_4/yewH-68smxg/s1600/DSC_4929.jpg Uncapped it obviously lacks the nib of a m805, although the lengths are well-matched. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zIo52iiZJXE/Vb2tCnSS2lI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/0xh7oZmbYUU/s1600/DSC_4937.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6) It retails at around Rs 5,500 ($ 86) here and I got it from a local store at around $ 70. The problem with ordering it from TWSBI’s website directly is that apart from heavy shipping charges, there are unseen duties to be paid for. Given the fact that you could get one of the usual butter-smooth and more responsive steel-nibbed Faber-Castell pens at a similar or even lesser price, it’s rather a decision of piston vs converter. I hope that the retail prices will get evened out with demand. OVERALL (4.6/6) This nib is wet with a hint of feedback which is expected of fine nibs. I purposely used a less wet ink, since the pen runs smooth with wet inks. There is some line variation which is evident with thicker vertical lines. A complete absence of any perceptible softness in this nib, kills the responsiveness part. The fine nib lays a line which runs between Japanese Fines and European Fines. Being a wet writer out of the box, the Fine nib puts a line which takes around 16-17 seconds to dry on MD Paper with Pelikan 4001 ink. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CwXFByod9IE/Vb2tIszp84I/AAAAAAAAFAo/K60KSx721a8/s1600/DSC_4943.jpg INNER CAP - INK RESIDUE In case you find any ink trapped between the inner cap and the cap, a wooden pencil fitted with attached eraser, can help clean it. I have experienced this kind of leakage during air-travel. 1. Take the wooden pencil (Standard #2) and insert the eraser-end into the cap. 2. Bend the cap in one direction, while putting pressure on the eraser in the opposite direction. 3. Slowly use the friction created by the eraser to pull out the inner cap. 4. Wash the ink out (Plain water is fine). 5. Re-insert the inner cap, and screw the pen back in, and it should friction-fit back into its original position. REFERENCES FPN TWSBI Bock Clientele Ink Residue Disassembly - gouletpens, srebrown Thank you for going through the review. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

Hello FPN Members Trying to get hold of TWSBI DIAMOND 580 at the prices comparable to international market.... can any one guide... what is your opinion about using these pens.... Looking forward to hear from Indian friends especially

Hello, I recently got back in to fountain pens and have been conflicted as to my next fountain pen. My first pen was a crappy jinhao, which was quickly followed by some other unknown Chinese knockoff of a lamy, and then shortly by a borrowed blue-gold waterman expert (it's my mom's. I love writing with it but want my own pen because she'll get mad at me if I damage it because it was really expensive at the time and is no longer available). and before anyone says anything, I personally don't like the more inexpensive Lamys, I don't find them to be comfortable. More recently I have also tried out a rOtring 600 (currently discontinued) which I like, however the lack of a knurled grip on the model I have, the cap, and terrible balance when posted are huge put-offs. I have come down to a somewhat wide list and can't decide on what to get: The Noodler's Konrad (probably one of the ebonite or acrylic ones) The Kaweco Sport (basically any of them, but most likely one of the non-metal ones as they cost less) Any of TWSBI's pens (basically all of TWSBI's pens fit my criteria, however I can't pick one over the other) As you can clearly tell these are relatively inexpensive pens. I am a student right now, which is why these pens are all pretty inexpensive. I want to bring the pen around with me to my classes. I walk between all my classes up and down a 3-story building and it's pretty long. I store my pens more diagonally or horizontally when not in use (when they are in my bag, as my backpack rests at a diagonal angle across my back). I like to be able to post my pens, as it means I don't need to keep track of the cap as I don't like holding the cap in my other hand, however most times I post my fountain pens or someone else's I find it to be either unbalanced or just uncomfortable as the edge of the cap irritates the side of my hand (this is especially the case on the Waterman, where when I post it the edge of the cap digs into my hand slightly). in case it matters, I use purple/violet ink, currently I am using the J. Herbin scented Violet ink (I love this stuff), however I am considering switching to something like Waterman's Tender Purple or some other purple/violet ink (suggestions?) I really like the look and design of the Kaweco, but the use of a converter is a bit of a put-off as I would prefer I be able to fill it once and have it last me a while. I like the look and design of the Noodler's a lot too however I worry it may require fidgeting with which is something I really would rather not do (and if I don't like the flex nib I could always replace it with some other nib, but then I need to do that... Again with the fidgeting). And on the topic of the TWSBI pens, they basically all fit my criteria, they appear to be a safe bet but I can't pick one in particular (580 vs classic vs mini vs maybe the vac700 or vac mini) I just can't decide. Help would be very greatly appreciated.

<sigh> A short while I go I jumped into the modern pen pool and bought a TWSBI 580AL Blue with an extra fine nib. Loved the look of the pen, and it is the first demonstrator pen that I have ever seen in person. Loved that aspect of it too! Alas, for reasons that elude my understanding, the pen just doesn't sit right in my hand. Whether this is because it doesn't post, or the section is metal, or some other reason... well, anyway, life is too short to get hung up on these things and so I must consider what to do with it. I am tempted to sell it and put the money toward a Pilot Custom Heritage 92, because I think the length of the TWSBI is one of the larger factors in my not liking it as much as I want to. Essentially it will have been filled once, and spent most of its time in a pen wrap or on my desk. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with the pen, and it writes a nice consistent extra fine line (with a bit of feedback). I haven't even unpacked the silicone grease or the wrench! Anyway, has anyone else had a similar experience as this? If so, how did you solve the issue?

Hey Guys, I am looking for a nice practical pen for everyday use, and prolonged writing sessions in an academic environment, after examining all my options Im torn between the CP1 and the TWSBI 580. I am considering a Fine nib by the way, which one should I opt for? Many Thanks.

I've read several posts here, and in most cases the solution is sending the pen back to TWSBI. This 580 AL I have is about a year old, and I've used it almost continuously, but now the flow problems are starting to annoy me. Firstly, when I fill the pen, the flow is too wet..the ink almost drips. Then, the flow gradually starts to reduce...until it's writing close to dry. Yes, if I turn the knob the flow increases again, but then after a page or so it's back to dry. I've made sure the feed channels are wide and clear, the nib has adequate gap between the tines, and the pen is clean. Looks like there just isn't enough air going into the pen, the vacuum at the back is too strong and preventing the ink from flowing out. Has anyone found a solution to this problem before I decide to do get this pen repaired?

Hi all! ​Here's my review of the TWSBI 580 Rose Gold. There is a bit copy and paste from my review of the TWSBI Classic, as in most ways the pens are similar. Appearance + Design 5 / 5 Like all TWSBI fountain pens, this is a lovely, well made pen. The design is well thought out. To be able to fully take it apart and service it, is a bonus. I have a 540, which I love. Then TWSBI released the Rose Gold version of the Mini which I thought was nice, but I preferred the look of black and gold, rather the Mini's white ad gold, so I ended up buying the 580 Rose Gold version. I love the look of the pen. It looks at lot more expensive than it is. Quality 5 / 5 For £60, great value. I haven’t had in long enough to ascertain durability, but it ‘feels’ it will last a long time. The piston moves smoothly and there’s a feeling of quality. It looks and feels more expensive than it is. It’s heavier than my Pelikan M200. Nib 4 / 5 I bought the pen with a Fine nib. It has some flex, which was a nice surprise. This Jowo nib is finer than the than the Bock nib in my 540. The nib was a bit dry to start with. I had used Noodler's Apache Sunset, which looked great in the pen but not so much in the writing. In the ink needs a 'fatter' and wetter nib. I then tried Mont Blanc Limited Edition Daniel Dafoe. Worse. Very Dry. I made some adjustments to the nib, which helped. Next ink was Diamine Sepia. Wow. The pen came alive! It's was now a wettish, smooth nib. The short writing sample in the photos show the shading the ink can give, even with a fine nib. Compared to my 540, the 580 is not there yet, but then I've had the 540 for 2 years longer and had time to 'bed' in. It's early days for the 580. Value 5/ 5 £60 on a quality piston filler. What’s not to like! My M200 was almost double the price. The TWSBI feels more expensive/substantial.

Hello FPNners! I have a question regarding Namiki Blue. I am buying a TWSBI 580 and want to make this my everyday ink. However, I was wondering if it would stain it. Also if so, has anyone tried bleach/ammonia solutions on it? I really don't want to permanently stain my pen. Thank you!

So i have a metropolitan with a M nib. This nib is great for me, so what would be more like that a fine or x-fine nib, thanks!

Hello all, I was thinking of buying a new pen. After researching a bit, I settled on getting either a TWSBI 580 or a Vac700. The problem is deciding which one. I've read a lot of reviews and whatnot, but I want to hear from you guys on the topic. Any info/advice is much appreciated. Thanks!! -CJ

Hi all, I am coming of of my first pen (Lamy Safari) and I was wondering which of the two you would recommend and why. The price of the 580 is much more appealing to me ($60 vs $85), and I don't know if the Vac is worth the extra cost. Thanks!

Hey guys, Need some ideas. My 580 is leaking from where the nib unit and barrel fit together. Its on pretty tight, don't want to over tighten as i'm worried the plastic will start cracking. It's always stored nib up and the barrel is a new replacement. It happened to the old barrel too and ended up filling up the cap with ink. Here's a pic. http://i.imgur.com/ftlEgBn.jpg Cheers.

All in the title, but a few more details. Tight on budget, but I do want a pen and a 580 is around the ballpark on the maximum I want to spend this moment. I've seen some glowing reviews for the 580 and the Al Star, so I really can't decide myself. I'm leaning more to the Al Star but the major factor is smoothness. I've had a Safari and I know the nib was smooth, but can the 580 bring something different and enjoyable too? Edit: Nib preference would F or M. Also the writing angle would be a bit low, but pretty sure both pens are lax on the angle.

I have read so much about the TWSBI's having problems. Yet there are many people who just love these pens. I have formed the idea that the 580AL is less problem prone since it has an aluminum section. Am I correct in this assumption ? Or is the difference in build quality not worth worrying about ? I actually prefer the looks of the 580 (non-AL version).

Hi there, Apologies in advance for such a silly question! I have had a TWSBI diamond 580 for a while and was giving it a good clean the other day - you know, nib/section unscrewed and shaking the water out of the piston etc. - when I had a horrible thought that there might have been an 'O' ring in there somewhere. I looked on the floor but found nothing - if it was there, it could have gone down the plughole in sink, bath or worse! Now looking at the updated diagram of the 580 as supplied clearly shows 3 'o'-rings. http://www.peggysparlour.co.uk/pubpics/twsbi580-1.jpg Mine now does not have an 'o' ring immediately behind the feed where it connects to the piston reservoir. This is most likely 'o'-ring 3 in the diagram, albeit when in working position, it is to the left of 'o'-ring 7 on the inside. (It has the other 2 'o'-rings though; on the body and under the metal nib ring). http://www.peggysparlour.co.uk/pubpics/twsbi580.jpg My question is - Is the 'o'-ring at the union of the end of the black feed to the clear plastic piston body actually necessary or actually ever present? (If I need one where can I get one?) Clearly, I do not want to be in the situation where everything starts leaking all over the place in an important meeting etc! Happy New Year all. Eclectica

Hello beautiful people, I've been looking to get a TWSBI pen for a long time, but one problem has always kept me away: which model I should buy! I have small-medium hands and my biggest pen is Lamy 2000 (which is my favorite pen model ever!); my other daily users include a couple of P"51"s and a vintage Duofold Jr., which although short, fits my hand neatly even unposted (I NEVER post my pens). The Vac 700 is clearly out of question (it's really way too bulky), but I'm wondering if the 580 is also too big for me. I've tried comparing the Lamy 2000 with the 580 (pictures on the Internet), and the 580 AL somehow looks a lot bigger (perhaps because of the 2000's cigar shape). On the other hand, the Mini seems to be of similar size with the Duofold Jr. (which I like), capped or uncapped. So there's my dilemma, it would seem that both may fit the bill, but I'm looking to buy just one (directly from Mr. Pendleton Brown, with a nice B CI nib ). Cheers!

I decided to write this mini-review and initial impressions because the reviews for this pen have been polarizing, to say the least. Initially, 2 things scared me. One shortly after I got it and one today. 1) When I first got the pen, the piston mechanism was so tight, I couldn't unscrewed it with the wrench without the pen turning in my hand, despite my best efforts. Despite the posts about the 580s tendencies to crack, I just told myself I wasn't going to worry about it. When I was done flushing the piston clean, I separated the nib ferule from the barrel and used the wrench to ever so slowly and gently turn the piston mechanism while holding the barrel with one of those rubbery jar opening gloves and VOILA! No cracking, no drama (yet), and the piston cap and rod still had the faintest coating of lube still on it. 2) When cleaning my pen today, I turned the nib mechanism upside down over the sink, like the green newb I am, and I was treated to the horror of watching it free fall into the garbage disposal! Bun of a sitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say, my hands aren't made for such spaces, especially where it landed. I grabbed a flashlight and pair of tongs and ever so cautiously airlifted the whole thing out INTACT. As luck would have it, my wife cooked while i was working late last night and she never hit the SPIN CYCLE for the veggy remains. In other words, I think the fall was cushioned by onion skin, romaine, and who knows what else instead of clanking in metal. Finished cleaning the pen, shook-dry, then let all the parts air dry on paper towels. Hours later, I reassembled said pen and filled with Diamine "marine," I got from a PIF and the pen didn't skip a beat. Since the first day I got it and filled it, it has NEVER started slow, become blocked, obstructed, or dried out, and has consistently laid down a lovely medium wet+ line, while writing quite smoothly. Now, I know I have not had this pen a long time and I am new to FPs in general, so YMMV. But my time with the 580AL has been a consistent and reliable pleasure in every way, and has helped deepen my appreciation and enjoyment of FPs and I find myself using it for just about everything. I am not sure you can ask more than that from your first pen? The other things are specific to my experience and what works for me, but I will mention them anyway. The pen feels good in the hand, is balanced well for where I hold it, and has a wide window of usability. I never felt like the pen made demands of me, which is the way it should be, IMHO. Did I mention how good it looks? I don't know whether I will buy another TWSBI or just other nibs, but this pen has treated me well and my enjoyment continues every day I use it. Like everybody else who gets their first pen and enjoys it, I think I have a pretty good idea of what my next 8 out of 10 pens will be. Cheers!

Hi all, I'm still kinda new, but can't help but notice that lots of people love TWSBI products for their value and coolness. There's a huge buzz about the "return" of the 580RB, and I'm excited myself. I always liked the look of the 540ROC and thought I "missed it" based on when I came into pens. Now there's talk and drawings on the TWSBI facebook page about an Amercian end-jewel, which I like. The tradition star is cool-looking too. Based on TWSBI history, how "safe" is it to wait on the American model. I think I would only like it slightly better and don't want to miss out on getting a pen of this model/coloring. Thanks for the help/advice! Brody

Two demonstrators in roughly the same price range. Clearly, the 580 has the larger ink capacity, but how do they compare in terms of build, QC, and nib performance? Thanks!

I plan to purchase a TWSBI Diamond 580, but I don't know which nib would be right for me. Can you tell me which TWSBI width (fine/medium/broad) is closest to a LAMY FINE? I have a Faber-Castell with a medium, but even that is finer than my Lamy fine. I have looked at Goulet's nib nook but I'm still not sure.

Ok.... so a couple months ago i was torn between buying a diamond 580 and a vac 700.... so i did what any normal addict would do.... i bought both. Now, although they both have the newer jowo nib i believe, they are different sizes... 6 on vac and 5 on 580 respectfully. My issue has been with the 580. I got them both in medium. It is a veeeery wet writer. Like to the point of almost bleedthrough on rhodia. Im not sure if this is normal... I know that many have said they had flow issues with theirs in the past, but mine is the opposite.... Is this normal for the 580? Is it the medium nib? (Ive ordered a fine for it which should come in soon) I love the look of the pen but the flow makes it difficult to use for practicality reasons. Can i slow it a bit? Or is it just how the medium nib writes? Fyi my 700 is great. And i have tried a few inks and lastly nkw i have apache sunset in it which normally behaves drier, but is stikk gushing. Ti.es are alligned, perfectly touching at the tip of the nib.... i just dont get it. Please, if u have any advice or reassurances let me know. Thanks

I'm not really sure where exactly this post belongs because it is not strictly a review of a product you can buy off the shelf, but I think this sub forum is probably the best. As far as the TWSBI 580 is concerned, I have no complaints. I think it's a fun looking pen that is also very functional. I originally had concerns that the clear plastic would become scratched and scuffed and lose its nice shininess, but this hasn't happened after almost a year. It's comfortable in the hand, holds a good amount of ink, smooth operating piston and easily user serviceable. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the fine nib. While it wasn't scratchy or dry, I just didn't find myself using it very often, choosing something more expressive over it. When I found a Waterman's No 2 Ideal semi flex extra fine nib for sale that seemed to be about the same dimensions as the factory fine nib, I went ahead and ordered it. Below are the (poorly photographed) results. http://i.imgur.com/6wuLsuhl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/ELthhqkl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/JFpQJkQl.jpg As far as modifications to the TWSBI go, I first needed to enlarge the upper half the black plastic piece of the section (near 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock) to allow for the shoulders of the new nib. I did this with a round file followed up by sand paper. The feed was a little too long so it was cut and then sanded down. The feed did not lay flat against the nib so, I formed it to the nib by heating it in hot water and pressing it in place. This was a little tricky since I was really only able to mold the very tip of the feed with my hands. I suspect that this produced a small reservoir between the nib and feed which initially resulted in a very heavy flow. I reheated the section and used a metal dental tool I have for pen work to help me press the feed to the nib by putting pressure along the flat track on the underside of the feed. All in all, it took and hour or so to get things how I wanted them. The Waterman nib has some nice spring to it. It really helps induce a rhythm into my (somewhat sloppy) writing and I'm happy with the flex it has.